Does Medicare Cover Hearing Aids?
Key takeaways:
Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids, but many Medicare Advantage plans do.
In 2022, the FDA created a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults. This is expected to improve access and reduce costs. These OTC devices will be available without a medical exam, prescription, or fitting by an audiologist.
Sound amplifiers — which are not considered alternatives to hearing aids — are already on the consumer market.
Hearing aids can be tax deductible. This includes the cost of the devices, maintenance, and repairs.
Table of contents
Hearing loss impacts a significant number of older adults in the U.S. About 1 in 3 people ages 65 to 75 have difficulty hearing, along with nearly half of those older than 75.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B), which provides insurance coverage to people 65 and older in the U.S., doesn’t cover hearing aids — but Part B can cover hearing tests to diagnose a condition if ordered by your provider. Some Medicare Advantage plans will pay for hearing aids and testing.
There are health benefits to hearing aids beyond sound. Increasing evidence links hearing loss to cognitive decline, including dementia. And untreated hearing problems have been associated with loneliness and social isolation as well as psychological distress such as depression and anxiety. Hearing loss affects balance and also has been linked to a higher risk of falls that cause injuries to seniors.
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Why doesn’t Medicare cover hearing aids?
Medicare’s exclusion of hearing aids and hearing exams dates from the program’s inception in 1965, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Social Security Act amendments that established Medicare and Medicaid as government insurance programs. Hearing aids were considered “low in cost” at that time.
The decades have changed that reality. Hearing aids can cost thousands of dollars and are out of reach financially for 77% of Americans with functional hearing loss. The Commonwealth Fund reports that 75% of Medicare beneficiaries who needed a hearing aid do not have one.
Do Medicare Advantage plans cover hearing aids?
Some Medicare Advantage plans — an alternative to original Medicare offered by private insurers and known as Medicare Part C — include extra benefits such as coverage of hearing aids. A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that 93% of 2021 Medicare Advantage plans provided some coverage for hearing aids. Some plans offer comprehensive coverage for hearing aids, but benefits vary. You can find specific details in your evidence of coverage, which is sent annually. You still may have out-of-pocket costs such as meeting your deductible, copayments, or coinsurance for the devices as well as to see an audiologist or other specialist for fittings and training.
Many veterans enrolled in Veterans Affairs healthcare are eligible for hearing aids from the VA.
Does Medicare cover hearing tests?
If you have original Medicare, Medicare Part B covers diagnostic hearing tests if your provider orders them to figure out if you need medical treatment. Medicare Part B can also cover your visit to an audiologist once a year without an order from you doctor or healthcare provider for:
Non-acute hearing conditions, such as hearing loss over many years
Diagnostic services related to hearing loss being treated by surgically implanted hearing devices
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Are hearing aids tax deductible?
Hearing aids are considered a qualified medical expense by the IRS and can be tax deductible. According to IRS Publication 502, you can deduct:
Cost of hearing aids
Cost of maintenance
Cost replacement parts, such as batteries
Cost of repairs
How much do hearing aids cost?
Hearing aids can cost $2,000 to $7,000 or more for a set and half as much for just one. A 2015 letter written by the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology concluded that hearing aids were costly because of a limited number of manufacturers and providers and few discounts. The council also noted that “hearing aids have not experienced the dramatic reductions in price and increases in features that have been routinely seen across consumer electronics.”
Often, the price of a hearing aid is “bundled” to include the device as well as a hearing test, fitting, and batteries. You can ask for a discount as well as the “unbundled” price.
What can you expect to pay out of pocket if you have insurance?
If your Medicare Advantage plan covers hearing aids, your out-of-pocket costs will depend on the plan benefits. For most plans, you will have a financial responsibility for a portion of the costs. To make an informed decision, you will have to do some research and compare Medicare Advantage plans available in your area.
To start, read about how Medicare Advantage plans work and how to join a Medicare Advantage plan. Then, visit the “find a Medicare Advantage plan” site. Follow the prompts to enter your ZIP code and discover the plans available to you. The list will allow you to filter for “hearing coverage,” with details available under “plan information” on each offer. Many don’t specify what you will pay. Some list copays ranging from $0 to more than $2,000. Additionally, many say that “limits” apply to the benefit, and some require prior authorization or advance approval from the plan for payment.
What is the status of over-the-counter hearing aids?
In 2022, the FDA created a new category of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids for adults. These hearing aids are available now without a medical exam, prescription, or fitting by an audiologist or other hearing professional.
This improved access to hearing aids is expected to reduce costs. The cost of a pair of hearing aids could drop to less than $1,000.
According to the FDA, the OTC category applies to certain air-conduction hearing aids intended for adults who have perceived mild or moderate hearing impairment. Hearing aids that do not meet this definition — such as those for children or for people with severe hearing impairment — remain prescription devices. Personal sound amplification devices have been available OTC for people with normal hearing and are not classified as hearing aids.
The new FDA updates are intended to increase access and affordability by:
Removing the barrier of high costs for hearing aids
Offering an alternative, as original Medicare does not cover hearing aids
Unbundling the cost from professional services, fitting, adjustment, or maintenance
Reducing the time it takes to obtain a hearing aid
Offering better access to people who cannot or do not shop online
Increasing the value of hearing aids (perceived hearing improvement relative to price)
Will Medicare Part A and Part B cover hearing aids in the future?
Medicare Part A, or hospital insurance, and Medicare Part B, which is medical insurance, don’t presently cover hearing aids. (Medicare will cover a diagnostic hearing exam if deemed medically necessary by a healthcare provider.) There have been previous and present congressional budget efforts to add hearing aids as an original Medicare benefit.
In July 2021, more than 70 members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced the Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2021 to expand Medicare Part B to include hearing aids, among other items and services.
According to a University of Michigan analysis of the Health and Retirement Study, a public resource for U.S. aging data, the primary barriers to hearing aid ownership include low wealth and lack of insurance coverage.
How can I get help paying for hearing aids beyond Medicare Advantage?
There are some nonprofit organizations that help people who are unable to afford hearing aids on their own. They include:
Sertoma, an international service group focused on hearing health and a partner organization of Hearing Charities of America, maintains a list of hearing aid resources that are offered nationwide and state by state.
The Hearing Aid Project run by the Hearing Charities of America collects and donates remanufactured hearing aids for people in need.
Starkey Hearing Foundation is a global nonprofit that provides hearing aids to people in the U.S. and worldwide who are unable to acquire hearing-assistance devices.
You may also be able to save on your hearing aids with discounts offered by AARP if you purchase your devices through United Healthcare Hearing.
The bottom line
Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids, but many Medicare Advantage plans include that benefit. How much your Medicare Advantage plan may pay will vary, but it is important to explore your potential out-of-pocket costs when choosing a plan.
In addition to personal sound amplification products already on the consumer market, the FDA updated rules in 2022 to allow over-the-counter hearing aids without a medical exam, prescription, or fitting by an audiologist or other hearing professional. These efforts may bring down the prices of traditional hearing aids.
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References
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Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2022). Understanding Medicare Advantage plans.
Congress.gov. (2021). H.R.4311 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2021.
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International Revenue Service. (2023). Publication 502 (2022), medical and dental expenses.
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Kaiser Family Foundation (2021). Although their share of the market varies by state, enrollment in Medicare Advantage plans has more than doubled over the past decade, with more than 4 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries now enrolled in the private plans.
McKee, M. M., et al. (2018). Determinants of hearing aid use among older Americans with hearing loss. The Gerontologist.
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University of Michigan. (n.d.). The Health and Retirement Study.
U.S. Congress. (1965). Social Security Amendments of 1965.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Hearing aids.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Hearing loss.
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Willink, A., et al. (2018). How Medicare could provide dental, vision, and hearing care for beneficiaries. The Commonwealth Fund.
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